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 Rotarians
Send Help To Pakistan Flood Victims
By Ryan Hyland
Rotarians are reaching out to victims of the heavy monsoon rains in
Pakistan, as the country continues to cope with its worst flooding
in decades.
Major rivers have flooded valleys in about one-third of the country,
claiming many lives and washing away bridges, roads, and entire
villages. The United Nations estimates that more than four million
people have been left homeless.
"The people of Pakistan were not prepared for a disaster like this
to reach this magnitude. Each day it seemed to get worse," says
Shehzad Ahmed, governor of District 3272 (Afghanistan; Pakistan).
"It's difficult for me to imagine how we're going to cope with this
situation."
Millions of children face diarrhoea, cholera, and upper respiratory
infections from contaminated water and insects. Eight million people
are still in urgent need of humanitarian aid. The UN predicts that
the economic cost of the floods could reach billions of dollars.
"While most Rotarians in my district weren't terribly affected, we
still have a moral obligation to help those who are suffering,"
Ahmed says. He adds that clubs in his district are collecting food,
safe drinking water, and medicine.
Ahmed also formed a district disaster relief committee of past
district governors, governors-elect, and governors-nominee, as well
as other leaders, to oversee long-term recovery efforts.
"We've received tremendous support so far from clubs and districts
all over the world," he says. "Rotarians are motivating each other
and their friends to contribute generously toward this noble cause."
Relief efforts
In response to the floods, The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees
is accepting contributions to help fund Rotary projects that will
support long-term disaster recovery in the affected areas.
Ahmed's district is also coordinating with ShelterBox to help
distribute emergency aid. ShelterBox is sending 5,000 water
filtration units and 2,500 water containers to flooded areas. More
than 1,900 tents and 600 ShelterBox containers have already been
deployed.
The Rotary Club of Sharpstown (Houston), Texas, USA, filled two
40-foot shipping containers with relief supplies, and is
coordinating with Ahmed's district and District 3271 to deliver them
to Karachi, where local clubs will help distribute the goods.
Meanwhile, the Rotary Club of Multan Metropolitan, Punjab, has
established five flood relief camps at local hospitals. Club members
are collecting tents, household items, food, and medicine.
World Water Works, a Rotary-club sponsored relief organization that
provides disaster victims with water purification tools, has sent
more than 600 boxes to the southern province of Sindh.
Hugo Pike, chair of World Water Works and a member of the Rotary
Club of Chelwood Bridge, Avon, England, says each box contains a
water purification kit that can supply each member of a family of
four with about 2 quarts of drinking water every day for a year.
"It is likely that this emergency will continue for some weeks,"
Pike says. "But Rotary clubs in District 1200 are ready to respond."
Syed Shahab Balkhi, governor of District 3271, says Rotary clubs can
do the most good by planning for the rehabilitation of flooded
areas.
"This is unprecedented flooding and has been incredibly widespread,"
Balkhi says. "Long-term recovery will be acute and painful. But help
has been promised by every club in my district and District 3272." |